Method of and apparatus for coating cores



Jan. 9

4 H. w. JESPERSEN METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COATING CORES Filed March 23, 1925 Patented Jan. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HEIiGO WIGGO JESPERSEN, OF RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELEC- TRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. k

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COATING CORES.

Application filed Marclf23, 1923. Serial No. 627,202.

I This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for coating cores. An object of the invention is to produce a core having a coating of pulp thereon which is attached to the core solely by intermingling of the fibers thereof and without the use of any'adhesive substance.

Another object of the invention is to coat a plurality of cores in strand-form simultaneously.

Brefiy,'the method consists in engaging a core with a screen or other suitable foram inous member, depositing pulpous material on the core and the foraminous member, re- 5 moving the core and the pulpous material in ribbon form from the foraminous member, reducing the width of the ribbon, and then forming the ribbon on the core vto constitute a homogeneous coating therefor. When a plurality of cores are coated simultaneously the method conssts, in bringing these cores simultaneously into engagement with the foraminous member, depositing pulpous material upon the foraminous member and the plurality of cores in contact therewith, removing the cores and the sheet of pulpous material supported thereby from the foraminous member, slitting the sheet into a plurality of ribbons individual to the cores,--and then forming the ribbons on the cores to constitute a homo eneous coating therefor. The presentmet 10d may be employed to advantage for insulating electrical conductors, but it is to be understood that it is not limited to this purpose but, only in so far as is defined by the appended claims, W here the method is used in insulating electrical conductors, man la, wood, rag, cotton, esparto, jute, hemp, and asbestos pulps may be employed as the coating material, but other materials than those specified may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention which contemplates in its broadest aspect the coating of any core with pulp of any material.

The drawings illustrate an apparatus by which the method may be practiced, the apparatus being especially designed for coating cores in strand form, but 1t is to be understood that ,other apparatus may be devised for coating cores in other forms without departing from the spiritand scope pf the invention.

The word pulp as usedin the specification and claims is to be understood as defining and including any cohering fibrous mass whether suspendedin a liquid, moist or substantially dry..

1n the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred apparatus by which the method may be practiced;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan View of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; I

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are enlarged sectional views showing the form of the pulp coatings at they leave the felt associated with the foraminous member, as they are being acted uponby the slitting mechanism, and as they are delivered from the squeeze rolls respec tively; and Flgs. 6 and 7 are enlarged sectional views showing the form of the pulp coatings during the forming operation and. after the completion of such operation respectively,

The steps of the method may be readily understood from a detailed description of the apparatus by which the method maybe practiced.

Referring to the drawings in detail in which like reference. numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views, the apparatus comprises a drum 1Q wlfch is partially submerged-in a liquid containing pulp within a trough 11. The drum 10 com' prises a pair of metal sides and a peripheral portion 12 secured thereto. The portion P is provided with a plurality of relativey large perforations 13 which are covered with a strip offine wire mesh 14 as shown in Fig. 2. The drum has acentrally disposed tubular axle 15 which is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 16 carried by a framework 17 whiph supports all of the elements of the apparatus.

.Pulpous material is strained onto the wire mesh 14 as the drum 10 isrotated in the tank by maintaining the level of the mixture within the drum 10 at alower level than that of the pulp liquid in the tank 11 as indicated by dotted lines A and B respectively. This difference in levels is maintained" by a siphon pipe 18 which'has itsinlet opening submerged in the liquid of the drum and its discharge through the tubular axle 15. The continuous circulation ofthe pul liquid pulp liquid from a supply tank (not shown) into the tank 11 by means of a pipe 19, and out of said tank through a pipe 20 into a receiving tank (not shown) from which it is pumped back into the supply tank in any suitable manner. As the drum 10 rotates in the tank 11, due to the difference in levels of the liquid in the drum and the tank, the liquid in the tank will pass through the wire mesh 14 and perforations 13, straining the pulp carried by such liquid onto the outer surface of the wire mesh. v

Disposedin contact with the wire mesh 14 is a roll-21, preferably covered with felt and mounted upon a pair of brackets 24:.

The cores to be coated are fed from suitable supply spools 30 over idler rolls 31 and into contact with the pulpous material which has been deposited on the foraminous screen 14'.

and as the drum 10 is rotated the rores are carried into the liquid. containing pulpous material, and when the pulpous material deposited upon the foraminous member t also covers the cores in engagement therewith. The idler rolls 31' are spaced from the periphery'12 of-the drum 10 so that the cores are held out of contact with that section pf the foraminous member which is near the surface of the liquid in the tank whereby pulp is strained onto such section before the strands or cores are brought into contact therewith. The first deposit of pul on the foraminous member is indicated by t e letter C, while as the drum rotates in the tank, additional amounts ofpulpous material will be deposited on the core and the associated foraminous member, forming a thickercoating indicated, by the letter D. 4 The drum 10 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow and the pulp on the foraminous covering together with the associated cores are brought into contact with a. felt covered roll 24. The periphery of this roll has a Ioi'aminous portion formed of fine wire mesh and when the pulp on the foraminous portion of the drum is brought into contact therewith, the -free liquid so to speakin the pulp mixture will be squeezed out, partially through the foraminous portion of the drum 10 and partially through the felt and the associated forarninous portion of roll 24. The partially dried pulp adheres to the felt in a sheet form with the cores included therein.

The cores then pass partially around the felt covered roll 21, which serves to remove the deposited material from the foraminous member, and a roll 23 provided with suit able tension means to press it against the felt roll 21, serves to attach "the sheet of pulpous material to the cores to some extent as shown in Fig. 3. When the sheet .sup-

ported by the cores is subjected to the action of a cutter 28 hearing upon the periphery of a drum 26, the sheet is slit into two ribbons.

which are associated with the pairs of squeeze rolls 40 and 41 respectively. I

The formers 33 and 34 wrap the project- 'ing edges of the ribbons around the cores and around each other, the appearance of the coating as they are first acted upon by the formers and after forming action is ('OIll-' pleted being clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7 respectively. Each of the formers causes a thorough intermingling of the pulp fibers of the ribbon and shapes the coating so that it embraces the coreand conforms to the shape thereof. Furthermore, the coating is molded into a mass so homogeneous that upon cutting the core and the associated coating, the latter will not fray or ravel and will not become easily detached from the core.

Each'of the formers 33and 34 comprises essentially two plates which are rotated around the core and serve towrap the associated pulp ribbon therearoimd in much the same manner as though the core, and pulp ribbon were rolled on a table top with the palm ofv the hand. The formers 33 and 34 shown in the drawings are identical with that fully described in-the co-pending application of Walker and March, Serial No. 547,923, filed March 29, 1922, and for adetailed description of this mechanism reference is made to the application above referred to.

Each of the coated cores is drawn from its associated former and subjected to a mechanism for thoroughly drying out the coating. The means for performing this operation comprises pairs of wide hollow drums 35 and 36 internally heated and having a plurality of grooves (not shown) formed on the periphery thereof which receive. the coated cores, guides (not shown) being provided for directing the core over first one drum of each pair and then over the other drum until it has traversed all of the grooves on both drums, after which the cores are stored on take-up spools 37 and 38 respectively. The drying apparatus shown is identical with that fully illustrated and shown in the Walker-March co-pending application above referred to and reference is made to the said application for a full-disclosure of this ppar us loo disclosed may be used witha pulp mixture containing a sizing substance, or the pulp may be deposited on a core which has been previously treated with an adhesive agent without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is: I i

1. The method of coating a core in strand form with pulp, which consists in associating a core with a foraminous member, depositing pulpous material in liquid suspension upon the member and the core, removing the core and the material from the member, removing some of the material 'f gom the core, and then forming the remaining portion of the said-material on the core to constitute a coating therefor conforming with the shape of the core and held on the core by an intermingling of the pulp fibers.

2. The method of coating a core in strand form with pulp, which consists in associating a core with a foraminous member, depositing pulpous material in liquid suspension upon the member and the core, removing the core and the deposited material from the member in ribbon form, reducing the Width of the ribbon, and\then forming the ribbon on the core to constitute a coating therefor conforming with the shape of the core and held on the core by an intermingling of the pulp fibers.

3. The method of coatinga core in strand form with pulp, which consists in associating a core with a foraminous member, depositing pulpous' material in liquid suspension upon the foraminous member and upon the core, removing the core and the deposited material from the member and removing some of the moisture therefrom, removing some of the material, and then 'formin the remaining material on the core to constitute a coating therefor conforming with the shape of the core and held on the core by an intermingling of the pulp fibers.

4. The method of coating a'core in strand form with pulp, which consists in associating a core with a foraminous member, depositing pulpous material in liquid suspension upon the foraminous member and the core, removihg the core and the material from the member and removing some of the moisture therefrom to form a ribbon thereof, reducing the width of the ribbon, and

then forming the ribbon on the core to constitute a coating therefor conforming with the shape of the core and held on the core by an intermingling of the pulp fibers.

5. The method of coating a core in strand form with pulp, which consists in associating acore with a foraminous member, ,de--

positing pulpous material in liquid suspension upon the member and the core, removing the core and the material from'the meme her and removing some" of the moisture therefrom, removing some of the material from the core, forming the remaining material on the core to constitute a coating therefor conforming with the shape of the core and held on the core by an intermingling of the pulp fibers, and then removing substantially all of the moisture from said coating.

6. The method of simultaneously coating aplurality of cores in strand form with pulp, which consists in associating the cores with a foraminous member, depositing pulpous material in liquid suspension upon the member and upon the cores, removing the cores and the deposited material supported thereby in sheet form from the foraminous member, separating the material into portions sufficient for each core, and forming the separated portions on the cores to con- 1 stitute coatings therefor conforming with the shape of the core and held on the core by an intermingling of the pulp fibers.

7. The method of simultaneously coating a plurality of cores in strand form with pulp, which consists in associating a plurality of cores with aforaminous member, depositing pulpous material in liquid suspension upon the cores and upon the member, removing the cores and the deposited material from; the foraminous member, separating the sheet of deposited material carried by the cores into ribbons individually associated with the cores, and then forming said ribbons on the cores to constitute coatings therefor conforming with the shape of the core and held on the core by an intermingling of the pulp fibers.

8. The method of simultaneously coating a plurality of cores in strand form with pulp, which consists in associating a plurality of cores with a foraminous member, depositing pulpous material in liqud suspension upon the member and upon the cores,

on the coreby an intermingling of the pulp fibers.

9. The method of simultaneously coating upon the cores, removing the cores and the deposited material from the foraminous member and removing some of the moisture from the material to constitute a sheet supported by the cores, separating the sheet into ribbons individual to the cores, removing additional moisture from the ribbons,

forming the ribbons around the cores to constltute coatings therefor conforming with the shape of the core and held on the core by an intermingling of the pulp fibers, and removing substantially all of the remaining moisture from the cores.

10. A method of coating a core in strand form with pulp, which consists in making a ribbon of pulpous material, causing a core to engage the ribbon, applying additional pulpous material to the core and ribbon, removing a portion of the pulpous material carried by the core, and forming the remaining niaterial into a coating for the core conforming i with the shape thereof.

11. In a machine for simultaneously coating a plurality of cores in strand form, a member, means for associating the cores with the member, a receptacle containing a supply of liquid containing pulp, means for causing relative movement between the memher and the liquid whereby pulp is deposited on the member and on the cores, means for removing the cores and the deposited pulp from the member in sheet form, means for cutting the sheet into ribbons individual to the cores, and means for forming the ribbons on the cores to constitute coatings therefor conforming with the shape of the core and held on the. core by an intermingling of the pulp fibers.

' 12. In a machine for simultaneously coating a plurality of cores in strand form with pulp, a member, means for associating the plurality of cores with the member, a receptacle containing a supply of liquid contain-' ing pulp, means for causing relative move ment between the member and the liquid whereby pulp is deposited upon the member individual to the cores, and means for forming the ribbons on the cores to constitute I coatings therefor conforming with the shape of the core and held on the core by an intermingling of the pulp fibers.

13. In a machine for simultaneously coating a plurality of cores in strand form with pulp, a member, means for associating the cores With the member, a receptacle containing a supply of liquid containing pulp, means for causing relative movement between the member and the liquid whereby pulp is deposited upon the member and upon the cores, means for removing the cores and the associated pulp in sheet form from the foraminous member, means for separating the sheet into ribbons individual to the cores, means for removing moisture from the ribbons, and means for forming the ribbons on the cores to constitute coatings therefor conforming with the shape of the core and held on the core by an intermingling of the pulp fibers.

14:. In a machine for simultaneously coating a plurality of cores in strand form with pulp, a member, means for associating the cores therewith, a receptacle containing a supply of liquid containing pulp, means for causing relative movement between the member and the liquid whereby pulp is deposited' upon the member, means for simultaneously removing the cores and the deposited material from the member and for removing moisture from the material, means for cutting the material into ribbons individual to the cores, means for removing moisture from the ribbons, means for forming the ribbons on the cores to constitute coatings therefor conforming with the shape of the core and held on the core by an intermingling of the pulp fibers, and means for removing substantially all of the'remaining moisture from the coatings.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 9th day of March A. D. 1923.

HELGO WIGGO JEsfPERsEN. 

